blasted groundhog day!!!!!!

Phil:”Do you ever have deja vu, Mrs. Lancaster?”
Mrs. Lancaster: “I don’t think so, but I could check with the kitchen.”
(lines from the Groundhog Day)

If it wasn’t for bad luck, we’d have no luck whatsoever…

However, as a Christian household, we don’t believe in luck…
and yet…

See this little guy below…

(The Sherrif)

That’s the Sherrif earlier this summer.

Yesterday, the daycare called his parents.

The Sherrif was running a fever.

Dada (aka our son) had to go pick up the Sherrif and head to the pediatrician’s office.

Remember last week?

The Mayor, Sherrif, and their mom had to stay with us while our son waited on
a COVID test to return…
he had strep throat but had to be tested none the less.

It appears that it is now standard if you are sick with anything, to be tested.

Hence why the kids and their mom came to us as we all waited.

After 3 days, late Friday evening, he finally got the all-clear.
Life was normal again as it was merely strep throat! When strep throat is considered normal, we’ve got problems!

And so yesterday was the first day back to work for their mom, a teacher, who by the way,
had to miss the first three days with students being back while we all waited on the
COVID test to come back.

That whole quarantine business.

And so once again , since the Sherrif was running a fever,
the pediatrician had to do a COVID test.

Pre-pandemic days, this would have been simply labeled a viral infection.
Give him Tylenol or Motrin and keep him hydrated.
However today, we as a society, are now all about some gloom and doom and falling skies!

GRRRRRRRR.

So Da (aka my husband) and I raced over to Atlanta late Monday afternoon to fetch
The Mayor, who by the way, will now be staying with us until we get word on this
latest test… she appears to be on the up and up from her daycare crud which seems to have been the impetus to all this mess in the first place!

And so once gain, possible COVID exposure around a 60 and 71-year-old may seem stupid
but again, we do what we have to do for our family.

Last week I had to cancel our anniversary dinner, of which I re-made again
for this coming Thursday…of which I’ve in turn canceled– again.

Are you beginning to see a pattern here??!!

So for now, I bid adieu.

I humbly ask for your prayers for our wee Sherrif…
You never want your child or grandchild to be sick…but now
a childhood viral infection sure would beat a possible COVID diagnosis.

He needs your prayers.

Behold, I will bring to it health and healing,
and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.
Jeremiah 33:6

Shadows, Groundhogs, badgers, Candlemas and a birthday

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.
Old English song

If Candlemas day be dry and fair,
The half o’ winter to come and mair,
If Candlemas day be wet and foul,
The half of winter’s gone at Yule.
Old Scottish song

(image taken from the web)

February 2nd marks, for Christians, the holy day of Candlemas, otherwise known as the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Jesus Presented in the Temple
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Luke 2:22-40

In both the US and Canada February 2nd is also known as Groundhog Day.
A hopeful day designated for anticipation and decision making. . .the pivotal marking of whether or not Winter is to linger for 6 more weeks or if Spring is to make a long awaited early arrival.
Either the groundhog sees his shadow or not—-The importance of shadows and clouds suddenly fills the air with expectancy. The signposts of legend and lore pointing either toward or away from Spring.
In Germany it was first a hedgehog–later in England it was a badger–and now, in North America, it’s a groundhog which is to take top honors bearing the responsibility of forecasting.

February 2nd is also Aunt Martha’s birthday and we certainly can’t let that monumental event be overshadowed by a groundhog, a hedgehog or a badger now can we. . .

So on this new day to this new month, early on in this new year, may we actually hope for clouds, shadows and Spring. . .may we be mindful of the significance of a wee child being presented in a Temple so very long ago and may we, much like Mary, ponder in our hearts as to how that single event has changed our lives as we are to never be the same. . .Also. . .may we think of wishing those we know and love, like Aunt Martha, a very happy birthday. . .
now. . .where are those clouds and did anyone think to bring the cake???